So another cold and flu season is upon us. Guess what? I am going to do the same thing I have been doing for the last ten years. What is that, you ask?...Get a flu shot? Nope; it doesn't work well enough and has too many risks/nasty ingredients. Stock up on cold and flu medication? Nope; I don't need it - I would rather prevent it. Worry about going outside with wet/damp hair? Nope; it doesn't matter. Pray more? Always. Prayer helps everything.
I can honestly say I have had maybe two colds in the last ten years. I have never missed a day at the office due to illness in my 7+ years in practice now. I cannot recall the last time I took any kind of medication. So what is the secret to not getting sick? Is it good genes? Luck? I don't think so. I believe it is good habits. Daily lifestyle choices that help minimize the physical, chemical and mental stressors that tax our bodies daily are the keys to prevention.
How Do I Prevent Getting Sick?
1. Daily Exercise:Aside from helping people stay fit, exercise has been shown to bolster the immune system, says William Schaffner, chair of the department of preventive medicine at Vanderbilt University School of Medicine and a spokesperson for the Infectious Diseases Society of America.
2. Good Sleep/Rest: A study published today in theArchives of Internal Medicineconfirms what Mom has been saying all along: You need more sleep. After exposing healthy volunteers to a cold virus, researchers found that those who slept fewer than seven hours a night were about three times as likely to become ill as those who, on average, snoozed for eight hours or more. Get your seven hours!
3. Eat Real Food: I believe this is a HUGE contributor to most chronic disease and even a player in simple colds and flu. People are eating way too much grain. Processed grain (wheat, corn, soy) has been shown to have a high glycemic index (which increases your sugar). Too much sugar is a big problem. It creates inflammation, which requires the defense of your immune system cells to extinguish the problem. This opens the door for bacteria and virus invaders to come set up house because the defense system is weakened. Invaders also use the sugar to feed off of and stay strong. Put down the processed food. Say no to fast food. Stop calling Papa John's. Eat more veggies, more fruit, more nuts and seeds, and more lean (free-range, grass feed, organic) proteins.
4. Stay hydrated: Water is a key to health.When cells do not have sufficient fluid, the toxins literally become glued to the cell walls. This dry cement like waste material can obviously not be excreted through the cell walls. When the buildup of toxins becomes critical, the cell is no longer able to sustain life and dies. *It is common for many to become less concerned about hydration once the temperatures outside begin to cool down. Keep drinking that high quality h2o!
Here is a TIP:How Do You Know if You are Dehydrated?
- Hydration in the human body can be tested by pinching the skin on the back of your hand. If it springs back to its original shape, chances are good that the cells in your body have enough water.
- If, on the other hand, a small ridge appears for a few seconds, you lack sufficient fluid in your body. When the skin is dehydrated, wrinkles multiply, skin becomes scaly and muscles become flabby.
5. Supplement well: This time of year (from fall until spring) I supplement with 10,000 iu of Vitamin D daily. My normal daily supplement intake includes 5,000 iu of Vitamin D per day. I take 3,000 mg of Omega-3 per day. I take a daily copper-free/iron-free Multi-vitamin.
- Consult with me or another physician before starting a supplementation regimen. There are those that may have contraindications depending on their level of health, medications, etc.
6. Stay Well Adjusted:Adjustments reduce interference and stress to the nervous system. A nervous system that is unclear or not free from disturbance will be altered/diminished in capability. A person may being symptom or pain-free and quite often still have subluxation or potential nerve system disturbance that will create deficiencies. EVERY cell in our body is ultimately controlled and regulated via the nervous system. That means our immune system cells, our endocrine/hormone system cells, our gastrointestinal cells, our vascular system cells, our lymphatic system cells, etc.
When it comes to the immune system...here are some of the known cells that have been named or identified to keep us healthy: Phagocytes, granulocytes, macrophages, dendritic cells, Lymphocytes - T cells and B cells, etc....these cells all have specific functions in our immunity and are going to function better when the nervous system that runs the show is functioning better.(For a more detailed view of how chiropractic has a role in this read below.)
*For a Great Overview (simple and animated breakdown) on how amazing and complex the immune system is, check out this page:http://www.nobelprize.org/educational/medicine/immunity//immune-detail.html
So What To Do if I Didn't do the Above Preventative Steps very Well? In other words... I Am Sick. Now What?
1. Go Get Adjusted...DO NOT feel bad for coming to see me or any chiropractor when you are "germy" and sick. We take care of ourselves so we can take care of you. Get in here!
2. Take to the Fluids...water, unsweet hot or cold tea, chicken broth, etc
3. Get a Good Night Sleep...7 plus hours; rest is key to health; you need more when you are sick.
4. Eat zero sugar..."starve out the sickness"; no bread, no pasta, no grain, no juice, no sweetened drinks. Eat chicken soup, veggies, protein and more veggies.
5. Supplement well...I bump up my Vitamin D from 5,000 - 10,000 when I am ill. I bump up my Vitamin C to 4,000 - 6,000 mg per day. I suck on herbal/zinc lozenges. I take 1-3 teaspoons of Silver Shield(http://www.webnat.com/articles/Colloidal%20Silver%20-Silver%20Shield.asp)
6. Consider a lymphatic Massage...getting the lymphatic system unclogged, unbogged and moving/draining goes a long way to speeding up the healing process. Our licensed massage therapists are highly skilled and eager to help you heal and be your best. They are truly the best around!
Did you Know Chiropractic Care Helps Strengthen Immune System and Prevent Sickness?
As we approach the cold and flu season, this is the perfect time to review some of the important research demonstrating the positive impact of chiropractic care on increasing immunity against disease. Chiropractic adjustments restore proper spine function which allows your nervous system - housed in your spinal canal - to perform optimally. Your nervous system controls every physiologic function of your body, including the immune system. Thus, regular adjustments are part of maintaining strong defenses against illness.
One mechanism behind the connection between the nervous system and immune function is the direct control of immune system components by the division of the nervous system called the sympathetic nervous system. This was suggested in 1987, when researchers reported the presence of norepinephrine (a.k.a. adrenaline, a stress hormone) from sympathetic nerve fibers in immune system tissues and organs, such as lymph nodes and the spleen. Norepinephrine was thus proposed as an important regulator for these components of the immune system, stemming from the sympathetic nervous system. (1)
An early exploration of this link between the nervous system, immunity, and Chiropractic was performed in 1989, at New York University. The immune systems of those under chiropractic care were compared to members of the general public, and patients with cancer and other terminal illnesses. Over three years, those people under chiropractic care for more than five years demonstrated 200% greater immune function than those who had not received chiropractic care. Their immune systems worked 400% better than patients with cancer and terminal disease. These findings prompted further exploration of the reasons behind the chiropractic-immunology connection. (2)
A 1992 study continued examining the regulation of immunity by the sympathetic nervous system, finding dense collection of adrenaline-specific receptors in immune system organs. This research lays the foundation for the three-way connection between the nervous, endocrine (hormone), and immune systems. Importantly, the sympathetic nervous system is also closely connected to the body's stress response. With chronically elevated stress, sympathetic activity increases, and stress hormone concentrations fluctuate. This alters immune system function, thereby changing susceptibility to various diseases. (3)
Another mechanism connecting chiropractic care and immune function was studied in 1991. This research found improve immune response in adults that had been adjusted by chiropractors. White blood cells called neutrophils and monocytes, which consume and destroy pathogens and diseased cells, undergo a respiratory burst of activity in response to illness or infection. This burst response is enhanced by chiropractic care. (4)
A research group at the Sid E. Williams Research Center of Life Chiropractic University studied a group of HIV positive patients who were adjusted over a six-month period. The adjusted patients had a 48% increase in CD4 cells, the immune system cells most impacted by HIV and AIDS. The control group of patients that were not adjusted did not demonstrate this dramatic increase in immune function, rather an 8% decrease in CD4 cell counts over the same period. (5)
In 2000, a comprehensive review of the literature was performed to summarize our current understanding of the integration between our nervous system and immune system. The study confirms the brain and immune system are the two major adaptive systems in the body. These systems must communicate during illness, to maintain homeostasis and health. This communication is accomplished by direct sympathetic nervous system influence, and by hormone output from the pituitary gland. (6)
Further research is being performed to fully understand the influence of Chiropractic for enhanced immunity. You may have already noticed suffering fewer colds, avoiding the flu, or simply recovering from illness more quickly since you've started Chiropractic care. There are scientific reasons for your experience, and continued tune-ups will keep all of the systems your nervous system controls healthy and strong.
Here is another article titled "Chiropractic Boosts Immunity": http://www.naturalnews.com/031206_chiropractic_immunity.html
References:
- Felton DL, Felton SY, Belonged DL, et al. "Noradrenergic sympathetic neural interactions with the immune system: structure and function." Immunol Rev. 1987 Dec;100:225-60.
- Pero R. "Medical Researcher Excited By CBSRF Project Results." The Chiropractic Journal, August 1989; 32.
- Murray DR, Irwin M, Reardon CA, et al. "Sympathetic and immune interactions during dynamic exercise. Mediation via a beta 2 - adrenergic-dependent mechanism." Circulation 1992 86(1): 203
- Brennan P, Graham M, Triano J, Hondras M. "Enhanced phagocytic cell respiratory bursts induced by spinal manipulation: Potential Role of Substance P." J Manip Physiolog Ther 1991; (14)7:399-400.
- Selano JL, Hightower BC, Pfleger B, Feeley-Collins K, Grostic JD. "The Effects of Specific Upper Cervical Adjustments on the CD4 Counts of HIV Positive Patients." The Chiro Research Journal; 3(1); 1994.
- Elenkov IJ, Wilder RL, Chrousos GP, Vizi ES: "The sympathetic nerve-an integrative interface between the two supersystems: the brain and the immune system." Pharmacol Rev 2000;52:295-63
Other things to Note this Week:
*We will be closed this Friday (10/19), HOWEVER, we will be open ALL DAY, Thursday (10/18) from 8am-5pm. Taking lunch from 11:30 to 1.
*The Titans finally WON A GAME! That means26% off (they scored 26 points in the victory) all nutritional supplements this week until their next game... GO Titans! Who needs Vitamin D, Omega-3 fish oil, a Multivitamin, maybe some Probiotics....we stock only the top shelf supplements here. No fillers. No junk.
Yours in Health,
Dr. David Mason